The line between IT consulting and management consulting is quite often blurred, with overlaps between the two fields habitually happening. Worse still, most people do not understand who an IT consultant really is, or what he/she does. There are those who think the job entails fixing computers, others – selling computers and associated accessories. This is misleading though.

In a nutshell, IT consultants are professionals who aid businesses in deciding what computer tools and technologies are best placed to grow and sustain a profitable business. They work hand in hand with clients to help integrate IT systems into the latter’s business. They show clients how to use technology more efficiently, and in so doing, the client is able to get a higher return on their technology investments, and ultimately, increase the bottom-line.

IT consultants, or IT advisories, could work independently or for a consulting firm, with their clientele spread across all sorts of businesses and industries. Companies hire or contract the consulting firm to come in and analyze their IT systems and structure.

The job itself is not short of challenges, however, and the path to becoming a successful IT consultant is fraught with its fair share of ups and downs. But hey, which job isn’t? Experience is the best teacher they say, and only after you’ve worked as a consultant for a number of years will you finally gain invaluable understanding of what is expected of you. Learning from the experiences of those who’ve been in this business for long is a good starting point for those who decide to venture into the world of IT consultancy.

In the ever changing landscape of software programming, it is not surprising that developers and employees have a different set of preferences for desired skills. However the number one language that developers want to learn according to a survey of developers by technical recruiter, Hacker Rank is Python. This is not a surprise considering that Python has been in demand for several years and programmers tend to really enjoy this language for clear syntax, good OOP support and great shortcuts. Python, named “the language of the year” in 2007 and 2010 in the TIOBE Index and has climbed to #4 status in May of 2018.

According to the study, employers want developers who:

- Have problem-solving skills, such as the ability to break down large, complex problems.
- Are proficient in their programming language and debugging.
- Can design systems.
- Can optimize performance.
- Have experience in reviewing and testing code.
- Are proficient in database design

Surprisingly, formal education is not the deciding factor when it comes to what companies care about the most. People with computer degrees or certifications on a resume are not necessarily a first choice for hiring managers. Others that have years of experience even if those individuals are partially self-taught in the field stand to be taken seriously in the field. For those individuals with a passion to learn and master a skill, there are ample opportunities with smaller to mid-sized companies.

Some interesting FAQ’s from the study:

On average, developers know 4 languages, and they aspire to learn 4 more.
Younger developers between 18 and 24 plan to learn 6 languages.
Folks older than 35 only plan to learn and additional 3 languages.
The top languages developers said they will learn were, Go, Python, Scala, Kotlin, and Ruby.
There is a large gap between employers seeking developers that know React than there are folks that can do it.

So, Why Learn Python?
It is now the most popular introductory teaching language in U.S. universities. Python is easy to use, powerful, and versatile, making it a great choice for beginners and experts alike. It allows you to think like a programmer and not waste time understanding difficult syntax that other programming languages can command. And, because of its rapid growth, many developers contribute to the Python community and share Python libraries making creativity that much more a reality

When businesses are trying to expand and require professionals to lead teams, terminology may get in the way of who performs what roles. When it comes to information technology (IT), new and vital professionals may seem hard to differentiate between one another. However, there are key differences between specific professionals needed with IT departments. Here are the responsibilities that differentiate between an IT manager and an IT project manager.

IT Managers

IT managers are the leaders of the entire IT infrastructure a business has to function properly. The IT manager must lead the entire IT department to regulate and maintain the IT network for the business. As a manager, this IT professional corresponds with other departments in the business about how the IT department is implementing the goals the business is aiming toward. In addition, the manager must be fiscally responsible and answer to executives and financial officers in the business the reasons behind certain costs and investments. Because of the dual computer technology and business acumen this profession requires, many IT managers have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) related to information technology.

I’ve been a technical recruiter for several years, let’s just say a long time. I’ll never forget how my first deal went bad and the lesson I learned from that experience. I was new to recruiting but had been a very good sales person in my previous position. I was about to place my first contractor on an assignment. I thought everything was fine. I nurtured and guided my candidate through the interview process with constant communication throughout. The candidate was very responsive throughout the process. From my initial contact with him, to the phone interview all went well and now he was completing his onsite interview with the hiring manager.

Shortly thereafter, I received the call from the hiring manager that my candidate was the chosen one for the contract position, I was thrilled. All my hard work had paid off. I was going to be a success at this new game! The entire office was thrilled for me, including my co-workers and my bosses. I made a good win-win deal. It was good pay for my candidate and a good margin for my recruiting firm. Everyone was happy.

I left a voicemail message for my candidate so I could deliver the good news. He had agreed to call me immediately after the interview so I could get his assessment of how well it went. Although, I heard from the hiring manager, there was no word from him. While waiting for his call back, I received a call from a Mercedes dealership to verify his employment for a car he was trying to lease. Technically he wasn’t working for us as he had not signed the contract yet…. nor, had he discussed this topic with me. I told the Mercedes office that I would get back to them. Still not having heard back from the candidate, I left him another message and mentioned the call I just received. Eventually he called back. He wanted more money.

I told him that would be impossible as he and I had previously agreed on his hourly rate and it was fine with him. I asked him what had changed since that agreement. He said he made had made much more money in doing the same thing when he lived in California. I reminded him this is a less costly marketplace than where he was living in California. I told him if he signed the deal I would be able to call the car dealership back and confirm that he was employed with us. He agreed to sign the deal.

training details locations, tags and why hsg

A successful career as a software developer or other IT professional requires a solid
understanding of software development processes, design patterns, enterprise application architectures,
web services, security, networking and much more. The progression from novice to expert can be a
daunting endeavor; this is especially true when traversing the learning curve without expert guidance. A
common experience is that too much time and money is wasted on a career plan or application due to misinformation.

The Hartmann Software Group understands these issues and addresses them and others during any
training engagement. Although no IT educational institution can guarantee career or application development success,
HSG can get you closer to your goals at a far faster rate than self paced learning and, arguably, than the competition.
Here are the reasons why we are so successful at teaching:

Learn from the experts.

We have provided software development and other IT related training
to many major corporations in Sweden since 2002.

Our educators have years of consulting and training
experience; moreover, we require each trainer to have cross-discipline expertise i.e. be Java and .NET experts so
that you get a broad understanding of how industry wide experts work and think.